A Better Life
by PlentyOfBooks
Summary: Harry Potter has instructions from Dumbledore; to go back to 1942 and kill Voldemort. When he succeeds, he will be the only one to remember the world in which The Second Wizarding War existed. But when Harry wakes up on his 11th birthday, this time with parents, he doesn't remember the past life, but for better or worse. (Rated T for mild cussing, and suggestive themes)


The day after the war ended, Ron, Hermione and I stood in the front of what was left of the great hall, and solemnly watched McGonagall deliver a speech. The Order was there, so were the others who helped fight, and several Ministry reporters came to examine the damage done. I wasn't listening to the speech, but I was sure that the professor was praising my friends and I for all that we'd done. It's not like we had a choice. I was almost too busy daydreaming and thinking about the past year to notice the time turner that Hermione was clutching in her hand, but I did. I eagerly waited for the speech to finish, and McGonagall to answer all the questions asked by students about what was going to happen next, and when it was all finally over, I grabbed Hermione's arm, and led her out.

"What the hell are you doing with that?" I exclaimed in conclusion, and I could see the look of guilt on Hermione's face before she quickly covered it with a confused expression.

She looked at me like I was crazy, "What in Merlin's name are you talking about, Harry?" I narrowed my eyes at her, "You're not supposed to have one of those anymore, what are you planning to do? Go back and kill Voldemort before he kills Fred and Remus and-" and when I saw Hermione's expression, I realized that was exactly what she planned to do. "You can't do that," I said dumbfounded, "You know you can't. 'Mione you know you can do more harm than good. This is what was supposed to happen, what _had_ to happen, you know that better than anyone. You know how badly you can screw this all up." I tried my hardest to look concerned, and it looked like she was buying it.

Hermione shook her head. "No Harry," she whispered, "I'm not going back to yesterday. I'm going back to half a century ago." I faked a shocked expression, "You can't k-kill him! 'Mione, no!"

"Harry," she said, "Harry listen to me, I'm not going to kill Voldemort. Dumbledore left me instructions, and a rigged time turner. I have 3 hours to spend in 1942 before it automatically takes me back to 1998. He told me to go back the day after the war ends, and to deliver a young Albus Dumbledore a letter,-

"1942? It takes you back to 1942?" I asked, trying to hint to her what I was about to do. Hermione nodded. "Riddle created his first Horcrux in 1943," I said, giving away my plan. Hermione's eyes widened, "Harry," she began nervously, "What are you thinking?"

My hand reached for my wand, and before Hermione could realize what I was doing, I whispered, "Petrificus Totalus," and casted a weak full-body bind on my best friend. Hermione's eyes were widened with shock, and I felt guilt in the pit of my stomach.

"I am so sorry 'Mione," I whispered, "So, so sorry. It will only last 10 minutes, I promised, and I would offer for you to hit me when I come back, except you won't remember. As soon as I do it, this timeline will cease to exist and the only ones who'll remember it are me, you and Ron. I'm going back to 1942. I'll kill Riddle, but I'll also find a way to give the memories of this timeline to you. I know I'll screw it up, but what the hell. It's worth it, and I'm sorry." I reached into my robe and pulled out a vial labelled 'Weasley,' with a several drops inside, and note attached. Then, I pulled out an identical vial, with the Granger written on it instead of Weasley.

"I guess I should explain; Dumbledore told me, back in 6th year, that there would be a war. Then he warned me, that he would give you a time turner to keep, for a whole year. You were the only one he trusted to keep it safe until it had to be used. I have so many memories, 'Mione, you wouldn't believe. I cried a damn river. I'll take them, I swear I will, and I'll give them to Dumbledore, along with that letter, which you haven't read have you? 'Course not; you promised him you wouldn't didn't you? And of course you'll keep your promise, even if it was made to a lying manipulative man. I know that Dumbledore was never honest, telling us lies. I know we were his pawns. But he wasn't stupid. This will work, I swear it will. And we'll be so much happier."

I grimaced when he saw the faint look of disappointment in Hermione's eyes, and felt even worse for what I was about to ask. "I'm really sorry," I began, "And I know you'll probably hate me for doing this, but I need to ask you for one more thing; I need you to remember this moment. So uh- could you maybe - er - cry?" A single tear rolled down her cheek, and into the vial. "Thank you Hermione. For making these past 7 years the best. Ron will be here any minute now, and he'll find you, with this letter." I said as I removed Dumbledore's letter from Hermione's hands, and placed my own. "He'll take this, and then you'll unfreeze a few minutes later. A couple hours after that, this timeline will no longer exist; in its place a much happier one. I'm sorry I had to do it this way, I hope you forgive me."

I put my wand in the back pocket of my pants, and prepared to leave. "Oh, and I almost forgot. The time turner will take me back to my 11th birthday. I'll have two sets of memories; these ones, and the ones I should've had, the ones in which Tom Riddle never existed, and tuned my life into a living hell. It'll be hard, but I'll be so much happier. Everyone will be so much happier." And at that moment, my ginger best friend walked in, and his eyes widened.

"Harry," he said slowly, "What's going on?" I grinned, "I love you two so much. Just remember that. Well remember it for as long as you can. The past seven years, they've been hard, and sad, and grueling, but you two, you were the only reason I survived. And I owe you so, so much for that. I love you two. Thank you, and goodbye."

I watched as Hermione unfroze and Ron ran towards me at the same time, but they were both too late. As I disappeared into the past, I could still here faint screams of "Harry! No!" and then, just like that, I was gone.


End file.
